Chapter [72]

Riser's Mansion

Riser was in his room with Sona, the atmosphere imbued with palpable tension. The night sky dotted with stars peeked through the window, while a gentle breeze whispered through the curtains. Sona, with a serious and centered expression, faced Riser, her eyes shining with a tumultuous mix of anger and happiness.

"I don't know whether to kiss you or punch you," murmured Sona, her voice laden with restrained emotion.

Riser chuckled, his relaxed posture contrasting with the gravity of the situation. "There are couples who enjoy both," he joked, reaching out to caress Sona's face.

She furrowed her brow, a sigh escaping her lips as she struggled to contain the various emotions assaulting her. "Do you trust me?" she asked, her eyes searching Riser's for a sincere answer.

"Of course!" replied Riser promptly, his gestures conveying conviction. He enveloped Sona in a comforting embrace, seeking to convey his trust through touch.

"Then why didn't you let me fight and protect my territory?" questioned Sona, her voice tinged with frustration.

Riser lowered his gaze for a moment, gathering his words carefully before responding. "I told you I wanted to protect you," he explained, his tone gentle and reassuring. "I didn't want you to put yourself in danger."

Sona disentangled herself from Riser's embrace and walked to the bed, her determined steps echoing in the silence of the room. Riser watched her, his eyes following her every movement as she lay down, her posture rigid reflecting the turmoil of her emotions.

"You won't always be there to protect me," murmured Sona, her voice laden with resignation as she settled among the soft sheets.

Riser approached the bed, his expression softening with the sadness emanating from her. He knew his actions had caused hurt to Sona, but he had to act to steal opportunities from the protagonist, something he couldn't tell Sona about.

Riser sat on the edge of the bed, his presence a silent attempt at comfort for her.

"I'm sorry, Sona," he said, his voice choked with guilt. "I just wanted to protect you, I didn't want anything bad to happen to you."

Sona turned in the bed, her eyes meeting his in the darkness. There was a mixture of emotions in her gaze, but at no moment did he see anger. Just a profound sadness, mixed with resignation.

"I know, Riser," she replied softly, her voice almost a whisper. "But sometimes, I need to fight my own battles. I need to know that I can trust myself to protect me."

Riser nodded, understanding her words. He reached out and stroked Sona's cheek, his gentle touch conveying the love he felt for her.

"I understand," he said, his heart heavy with the sadness in his voice. "And I promise I'll try to be better. I'll try to support and protect you, but I'll also give you space."

Sona nodded, a faint smile curving her lips. She reached out and took his hand, a gesture of reconciliation between them.

"Thank you, Riser," she said, her voice filled with gratitude. "I know I can count on you."

Riser lay down beside Sona with a satisfied smile, feeling the comforting warmth of the soft sheets enveloping them. "So everything's settled between us," he said, hopeful.

Sona raised an eyebrow, her piercing gaze meeting Riser's. "Not everything," she replied, her expression serious revealing her reservations.

Riser sighed, knowing that there were still issues to be addressed. "What else do you want to hold against me?" he asked, trying to dissipate the tension lingering in the air.

"Don't play the victim," retorted Sona, her voice filled with frustration. "You went to the meeting without permission and even killed the friend of one of the participants in the peace meeting."

Riser furrowed his brow, his mind replaying the events that led to that moment. "I've already told you it was to protect you," he defended himself, his words laden with justification. "And Vali attacked me first."

Sona sighed, her shoulders tense with the memory of the recent conflict. "And Rias," she began, her voice calm but filled with concern, "all the progress of reconciliation between you two may have been undone."

Riser sarcastically replied, trying to deflect the seriousness of the situation. "Wow, I won't be able to sleep thinking about Rias's friendship!"

A laugh escaped Sona's lips, her laughter a mixture of relief and disbelief at Riser's relaxed attitude.

"Besides," continued Riser, shifting the focus of the conversation, "Vali was part of the Khaos Brigade, and I killed him. This organization may come after me and you. Tomorrow, we're going to the underworld."

Sona frowned, remembering the threat posed by the Khaos Brigade. "Why go to the underworld?" she asked, her voice laden with concern.

Riser smiled, acknowledging her concern. "To train," he replied, his voice full of determination. "And of course, you wanted to have the strength to fight your own battles. This is your chance to have the strength you desire."

Sona nodded slowly, understanding the need to prepare for the challenges ahead. "You're right," she agreed, a faint smile curving her lips. "Let's go to the underworld."

"Let's go tomorrow at dawn," Riser announced.

"Dawn?" Sona questioned, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Yes," confirmed Riser, his expression serious reflecting the decision.

Sona couldn't help but laugh, her seriousness momentarily broken. Riser looked at her, curious. "What are you laughing at?" he inquired.

"It's just that you really need to go back to the underworld," replied Sona amidst laughter, her tone amused echoing in the air. She continued, "You've been in the human world for a short time and already forgot. In the underworld, it's always night. There's no dawn."

A flash of understanding crossed Riser's mind, relieved to have addressed a trivial matter. "Good thing it was something simple," he thought to himself, aware that forgetting something important from the memories of the "original Riser" would be problematic.

Before he could get lost in his thoughts, Sona interrupted the silence with a proposal. "I'll let my family know that I'm going to the underworld, and you'll tell yours," she suggested.

pat reon.com/22Mirko22